News

The Albanese Government’s aged care reforms are already delivering with the latest financial outlook showing a sector providing more minutes of care per resident, while recovering to a more stable and sustainable setting.

The latest Aged Care Quarterly Financial Snapshot (QFS) shows the overall financial performance of residential aged care providers improved throughout the 2022-23 financial year. This follows the Albanese Government’s immediate introduction of the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding model, which came into effect 1 October 2022.

The snapshot shows that residential aged care providers delivered an average of 194 minutes of care per resident per day in the final quarter of 2022-23, an increase of 4 minutes. The Labor Government’s 200 mandatory care minutes came into effect from 1 October 2023.

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Ambitious aged care reforms delivering

Sector news

• COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program extension grant finalisation
• Celebrating volunteers in aged care
• Free translating and interpreting services
• National Principles to Address Coercive Control

Residential care

• AN-ACC price increased
• Be prepared for power outages
• Online survey: Medication Advisory Committees

In-home care

• Support at Home to be rolled out in two stages
• Home Care Packages Program Data Report
• Transition of Disability Support for Older Australians Program

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Your Aged Care Update: Issue 47

On 1 December 2023, the Australian Government announced an investment of a more than $2 billion in residential aged care. This increases the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) price to $253.82.

This additional funding supports aged care homes to pay the full increase in award wages for care staff, as handed down by the Fair Work Commission.

Funding includes:

• $ 2.2 billion in AN-ACC funding
• $21.5 million in 24/7 registered nurse supplement funding.

The funding increase includes back pay for the 1 July to 30 November period.

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Schedule of Subsidies and Supplements for Aged Care – from 1 December 2023 (.pdf)

More than $2 billion boost for aged care homes to fund award wage increase

The Albanese Government is investing billions of dollars to increase the Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) price to $253.82 from 1 December 2023.

Our $2.194 billion commitment will support residential aged care providers to fund the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review decision, which increases the award wage for aged care staff by 5.75%.

The increase accounts for back pay funding for the 1 July to 30 November period and ensures aged care homes are funded to pay the increased award wages for registered nurses, enrolled nurses, assistants in nursing, personal care workers and recreational activities officers (lifestyle workers).

As part of this uplift to support the award wage rise, an additional $21.5 million has been committed for 24/7 RN supplement funding, also commencing 1 December 2023.

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More than $2 billion boost for aged care homes to fund award wage increase

As we help our approved provider clients prepare their governing bodies to include a majority of independent non-executive persons, we are continuing to see questions and confusion about whether advisory or non-voting persons can help to meet this requirement. The Commission’s Regulatory Bulletin (RB2023-23) released 28 November 2023 also helps to clarify certain aspects.

In our 17 October 2023 alert, we dispelled the myth that a member of the governing body need not be a director. For most approved providers, including companies and associations, the governing body will be the board of directors or committee of management, however described.

We have recently been asked by a number of providers whether they can appoint “associate directors”, advisory or non-voting directors to their governing body. The idea arises from broadly circulated comments from some advisors.

Read more:

Beware: associate, advisory or non-voting directors as members of an approved provider governing body

Sector news

• COVID-19: Vaccination update
• Report on the Operation of the Aged Care Act
• Grant Forecast: Aged care wages – historical leave liability
• Verification for specialised aged care services
• Webinar: Digital Transformation Tech Talk
• Evaluation of the National Aged Care Advocacy Program
• Webinar: Human Centricity in Aged Care

Residential care

• Developing staffing Quality Indicators
• COVID-19: Prevent and prepare

Workforce

• Aged care worker pay rise survey

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update: Issue 46

Notable dates

• Webinar: Publishing provider reporting – 28 November
• Webinar: New Aged Care Act and Support at Home update – 14 December

Sector news

• Registered nurses and alternative clinical care
• Free palliative care education and training
• Influenza vaccination reporting
• New video series on the Aged Care Quality Standards
• Webinar: Cross-cultural communication

Residential care

• Food satisfaction questionnaires
• COVID-19: Protecting aged care residents
• Prepare for bushfire season: Resident relocation
• Survey: Communicating with people with limited English

In-home care

• Webinar: Home Care Packages – Program Assurance Reviews

Workforce

• National Nursing Workforce Strategy consultation
• National Suicide Prevention for Seniors Program

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Your Aged Care Update: Issue 45

In this edition:

• Commissioner’s message
• National Aged Care Provider Conference 2024
• Our reports
• Aged care reforms update
• Food, nutrition and dining
• Clinical update
• Webinars
• Training and resources

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Aged Care Quality Bulletin #59 – November 2023

Dear aged care providers,

The Commission recently published its first report for providers exploring the complaints we receive about aged care services: Complaints about aged care services – Insights for providers.

This report uses information we collect and provides key insights from the complaints we manage and resolve each year. The first part of the report provides an overview of the complaints we received about residential and home services between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. The second part uses case studies and guided questions to help you and your staff assess your own complaints handling processes using an approach aimed at driving continuous
improvement.

The Aged Care Quality Standards identify feedback and complaints requirements in Standard 6. As Approved Providers, you would be aware of the legislative requirement under the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care Quality Standards (Quality Standards) for every service to have an internal complaints resolution process.

Read more:

Letter to providers on Complaints about Aged Care Services Report (.pdf)

Complaints about aged care services – Insights for providers report 2023 (.pdf)

News about the reforms

• Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy consultation closing soon

Sector news

• Webinar: Publishing provider reporting for stakeholders and the community
• Grant opportunity: Improving respite care for people with dementia and their carers
• Capital Assistance Program thin markets grant opportunity
• More at-risk people eligible for shingles vaccination

In-home care

• Home Care Packages wait times on My Aged Care
• Reminder: Fair Work Commission CHSP Base Funding Grant closes soon
• Webinar: Introduction to Accessible Documents
• Webinar: How to support older people displaying difficult behaviours

Workforce

• Aged Care Registered Nurses’ Payments Round 2 – Now Open
• Aged care worker pay rise survey

Read more:

Your Aged Care Update: Issue 44